“Here is a bowleg,” the woman mumbled. “Beware of him, girl.” Scary man

“Thank you, madam,” Ilma whispered.

“And fear me,” Gila continued with a smile. “I'm terrible too.”

- Yes, madam, - the slave could not restrain herself and smiled too.

They came to a narrow iron door. Gila turned the large ring, and the sash slid aside with a nasty rattle. The woman first entered the dark corridor and pulled the slave behind her. From the blackness of the basement it smelled damp and cold. Gila lit a torch and, lighting her way, led the captive along a narrow passage. With bated breath, Ilma looked around. Noticing her alarm, Gila grunted, but said nothing.

“Come in,” the woman pushed the heavy door.

The slave stepped timidly into the room and froze in surprise. On the stone walls heavy chains were hung in abundance. In the far corner a real rack was built, and next to it stood the most ordinary staircase.

- Well, what got up? - Gila pushed Ilma in the back, - didn't you see the torture chambers? Your daddy was the same.

“I don't know anything,” stuttered, the slave whispered.

- Still would! - the woman lit a fire in the fireplace, - You were not invited there.

- What you want from me? - the girl could not cope with her fear.

- I want to wash you with warm water! - Gil laughed, - And at the same time warn. You will be capricious - go here. Milard is a big fan of torture.

While the pot of water was warming, the woman, deftly wielding incomprehensible tools, removed the shackles from the hands and feet. Following it flew to the floor and heavy collar. The girl sighed in relief. For the first time in a long time, her neck was not squeezed by coarse iron.

- Who are you so obstrig? - smiled Gila.

“The senior guard, madam,” answered Ilma after a short pause.

- And he smeared it with manure too?

“Yes, madam,” the girl nodded her head.

“Well, I did it right,” the woman took off her raincoat and knotted the hair on the back of her head.

How nice to sit in a big tub with warm water! The body of the slave was steamy and softened. Gila slowly rubbed her charge with a soft cloth, gradually washing away the dirt from her skin. Running her strong fingers into the thick mane, she supposedly wanted to wash every slave's hair. Ilma watched as this strong woman methodically processes every inch of her body. With courage, she said:

- Madam.

“Speak,” Gila grumbled.

“Forgive me, madam,” the girl began timidly, “Who are you in this house?”

- Who? - the woman threw back the disobedient strand of hair that fell on her forehead, - The eldest slave. Surprised?

“No, madam,” Ilma breathed, “But I thought you were free.”

“Because I hit Terry?”

“Both Terry and the guard spoke respectfully to you,” the girl explained.

“The guard knows me for a long time, and Terry is just a coward and a scumbag!” - Gila sat on a small bench next to the tub, - I have long been in this damned house. Milard killed my parents when I was a kid. He raised me and suggested that all people are his vassals. I believed him. But when, in my eyes, he killed several slaves just because he wanted to, I thought. Nothing! The time will come, and I will avenge this beast for all its atrocities.

“What will happen to that soldier and Uri?” - decided to ask Ilma.

“I hope they are no longer in the castle,” the woman grinned, “Milard is not very quick.” I heard everything and warned Uri, and sent that guy to him. Hope they were able to leave. And this thug, I think, has already forgotten about them. Rather, you occupy it now.

“Will he kill me too?” - the voice of the slave became choked.

“Who knows,” Gila shrugged. “Maybe she will let you live for a while.” Or strangle on the first night.

From fear, the body of Ilma ran goosebumps. She suddenly remembered that disfigured girl who fell out of the window. Is it the same fate awaiting her? Gila stopped rubbing steamed slave skin with a washcloth and looked at her with narrowed eyes.

- What are you doing? She asked warily.

“No, nothing,” Ilma twitched, as if someone had pinched her.

“I see everything, girl,” the woman said sternly, “Speak what you think!”

“I remembered that unfortunate one,” the slave shyly said, “To ...”

- BUT! “Gila sat down on the bench again.” Little Dolly was unlucky. And I did not live a week. It can be seen, our Master drank more than usual wine. And when he is drunk - rampages. And you better forget about it as soon as possible.

The evening air was cool and fresh when they emerged from the dungeon of the castle. Gila tied the girl's hands behind her back and fastened a short leash to the collar. She did not give any clothes, but threw her long cloak over Ilma’s shoulders.

They went through a side door and climbed the narrow staircase to the second floor of the house. Gila fastened the torch with which she lit the road in a recess on the wall and began to fiddle with the lock.

“He is always stuck,” she murmured wickedly, turning the massive bronze handle right and left, but the lock did not want to give way.

- The devil! - the elder slave swore and kicked the door.

The heavy sash creaked to the side, opening the next passage. It seemed to Ilma that the whole house is a continuous labyrinth consisting of corridors, niches, small and large rooms, in which a new person can easily get lost. She suddenly felt like a little moth entangled in the web of a huge bloodthirsty spider. From these thoughts, the girl became sad. She sighed heavily, but quickly pulled herself together.

Gila led the new slave to the next door and stopped abruptly.

“They came,” she said softly, looking around the slave from head to toe.

Pulling the handle, the woman opened the doors. Ilma carefully followed her into the huge hall, immersed in the twilight, and wanted to look around. Along the walls of this huge room were lattice cells in which girls were locked. Their hands were shackled behind their backs, the same as those of Ilma, with handcuffs representing two bracelets connected together by a thick ring. On the ankles, broad rings glittered, connected by a short chain, which allowed only finely minced. All the prisoners were chained to the back of the cage with a neck chain. The princess noticed that some slave girls were silenced with large leather balls attached with a wide strap at the back of the head.

- After admiring, - Gila pulled the leash, - You will have plenty of time.

She clapped her hands and a tall, stocky man emerged from a side niche, wearing short suede pants and heavy shoes. Without saying a word, he approached Ilma and deftly put shackles on her feet. There was no need to change the handcuffs. Rummaging in his pockets, the man pulled out a wide metal collar and snapped it around the slave’s neck. Glancing at Gil, he took a gag from another pocket and quickly inserted it into the mouth of the girl who did not have time to come to his senses.

The elder slave unlocked the free cell and pushed Ilma into it, and the servant, after inserting his long hands through the thick bars, fastened the chain to the collar.

- Rest, princess! Said Guila, with a malicious grin, throwing her long cloak over her shoulders.

The cage door clattered, there was a loud click. After examining the new prisoner once more, the woman turned on her heel and quickly left the hall. Silence ensued, sometimes broken by the quiet ringing of chains and the squeezed sounds of the slave mouths shut. Others sat quietly and did not even try to whisper.

A little fidgeting on the hard floor and finding a comfortable position, Ilma leaned back on the cold bars of the lattice and closed her eyes. She did not want to sleep. The emotional experiences of the last days acted on the girl as a good tonic.

The princess wanted to think about her current situation, but, unfortunately, her mind refused to work .... Read more →